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CHANGES TO FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT:  APWU FMLA FORMS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE
Recent changes to the Family & Medical Leave Act enacted by the Bush Administration, mean that employees will no longer be able to submit the APWU forms to certify their conditions or apply for FMLA protections.  The changes, which go into effect on January 16, 2008 require additional information that the APWU forms do not provide.  The APWU is working to redesign the forms to comply with the new FMLA requirements.  When the new APWU forms are finalized we will make them available to the membership.  Until that time, employees should use the Department of Labor form WH-380 to certify their FMLA conditions.  WH-380 forms can be obtained from your supervisor, or on-line.  The District FMLA Coordinator should send you a form WH-380 when you make an initial FMLA request.

OPEN SEASON BENEFIT SELECTIONS EXTENDED BY OPM

Open Season for the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) will be extended, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced Dec. 8 [PDF]. OPM took this action in response to concerns over a change in coverage in the Blue Cross Blue Shield reimbursement that would have established a $7,500 co-pay for out-of-network surgeries. Although OPM instructed agencies in the federal program to extend the enrollment period through January, the Postal Service announced that “the new deadline to make employee self service FEHB elections using PostalEASE is Dec. 28, 2008, at 5 p.m. CT.” The USPS did not offer an explanation for its decision to close the enrollment period a month before the deadline established by OPM. More...

NEGOTIATIONS ON MODIFIED 10/4 WORKWEEK REACH AN IMPASSE

Discussions have been underway at the national level for several months regarding the implementation of the Modified Work Week known as “10-4,” where employees are scheduled to work 10 hours per day, four days per week.  Over recent weeks these discussions have failed to make significant progress and therefore I am unable to project that a final agreement will be reached. Despite the lack of progress, we will continue to explore possibilities for reaching a settlement with management on this matter.  The subject of intense discussion at the national level is the possibility of requiring employees to work a modified work week as a condition of their bid assignment.  The original pilot agreed to by the parties in 1994 limited 10-4 schedules to employees who volunteered for them and had the option to discontinue their participation at their discretion. Headquarters management has proposed that the new program include a requirement that all employees within a designated section be required to work the modified work week as a condition of their bid assignment.  more...
 

APWU FILES UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE ON T-2 COMPRESSION PLANS

The APWU has filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge [PDF] against the Postal Service, alleging that management failed to bargain over a nationwide plan to consolidate mail processing into two tours — a plan that would eliminate or greatly reduce the number of assignments on Tour 2. The charge, filed Nov. 25 with the National Labor Relations Board, also asserts that the Postal Service failed to provide information to the union regarding this initiative.  In addition, the union contends that it “can show that the Postal Service answered the Union’s request for information dishonestly,” which constitutes an independent violation of management’s obligation to bargain in good faith.  The APWU has requested immediate, injunctive relief, asserting that without such relief the initiative would be completed before the board would be able to address the charge. “Injunctive relief requiring the Postal Service to provide information and to bargain is needed now,” the complaint says.  more...
 

"T-2 COMPRESSION" COMING TO LEHIGH VALLEY P&DC

Management has notified the Union of it's desire to eliminate virtually all T-2 jobs at the Lehigh Valley P&DC.  This decision is part of a nationwide plan to compress facilities from three tour operations to two tours.  While management has not yet shared the specifics of the package with the APWU yet, we can pass on some general provisions of the plan.  The Two Tour Initiative, or T-2 Compression (as it is also called) calls for the review and evaluation of every T-2 mail processing job.  If the job can be performed on another tour it is in jeopardy of abolishment.   Another aspect of this change involves the establishment of 'one manual tour' which would affect manual letter and flat distribution jobs on T-3 and T-1.  Initial feedback indicates that management is determined to move all T-3 manual distribution operations from their current start time to 18:00.  The T-1 manual operations are slated to move to 21:00.

Management, at this time, indicates that they may retain a few 'necessary' clerk jobs on T-2 as well as staffing for one FSM.  The remainder of the clerk jobs face abolishment.  There will be new positions posted for affected clerks to bid upon, however, they will likely be on T-3 or T-1.  The APWU continues to negotiate with management to minimize the impact on employees.  To date, the APWU has not seen the final staffing package, so we cannot say, with any degree of certainty, whether the automation jobs will be 12:00 pm or 12:30 pm.  Neither can we say how many manual jobs will be posted or what the days off will look like.  We will pass along information as it becomes available.

Ask President Burrus: 

With the current financial problems, management is looking to move mail from one installation to another, eliminate Tour 2 operations, and change the days off of many mail processing bids.... I remember the national union suspended Article 37, giving locals latitude to allow management to move employees beyond two hours and to change off days without reposting the bid. This helped greatly as employees were just moved, keeping their bid positions. Is there any thought at the national level to doing this again?  President Burrus Responds:  I have contacted the Postal Service and requested a meeting to discuss the contractual obligations associated with the elimination of Tour 2. During those conversations we will discuss the options available to local unions ... read the rest of the answer.

Employee Claim for Personal Property - PS Form 2146
This form is now available on-line for employee who have suffered damage to personal property while on duty.  The form must be submitted (in triplicate) to your supervisor within 14 days of the loss / damage.  To access this form, click the FORMS button (left)

Flexible Spending Claim Forms
Are available via the FORMS button (left).  Completed forms can be mailed or faxed to the FSA Office.  For on-line information concerning your FSA account, go to www.myuhc.com